My Safety
by DJMeep
Summary: Rewrite of the beginning of "Fool for Love." Faith finds Buffy in the cemetery, injured, after her fight with a vampire. Unsure of what to do, Faith takes Buffy to Tara and Willow for help. This is how I imagined this scene in my head. (Formerly "Love, Sex, Magic")


This is a rewrite of the beginning of "Fool for Love" where Buffy is fighting the vampire. Faith saves Buffy, not Riley because Faith is dating Buffy and she got worried.

Faith never turned into a Big Bad and never worked for Mayor Wilkins. There was no coma, no stabbing, or anything of the like. She and Buffy fell in love and moved in together into an off-campus apartment sometime near the end into Buffy's freshman year of college. Tara and Willow also fell in love around that time and move into a dorm together. Riley and the Initiative were involved in season 4, but Buffy and Riley weren't. Everything else is the same.

* * *

It was a relatively chilly and quiet November evening on Sunnydale. The cemeteries were even quiet for once aside from the quiet snapping of twigs and crunching of dry leaves under the feet of the Slayer as she patrolled the cemetery. There were no vampires, no demons, and no hellish beasts that were attracted to the Hellmouth wreaking havoc on the small California town. Even Buffy, herself, was shocked. Nonetheless, she continued to patrol that particular area because a quiet cemetery is not necessary an empty one. Just as that though crossed her mind, Buffy heard the sound of something tearing through dirt. She turned and crept toward the grave that was produced the sound.

As she neared the grave, a hand popped out, followed by another, and finally a head, which had a tastefully horrendous mullet. "Slayer," the new risen vampire growled.

"Vampire," Buffy said cheekily. The vampire lifted himself out of his grave and immediately began to attack Buffy. "What no recovery time?" The two exchanged blows and send each other flying over headstones on more than one occasion. Despite their even match, the vampire managed to get the upper hand on Buffy on more than one occasion, which only worries the stressed Slayer further. Finally, by accessing her full Slayer powers, Buffy punched the vampire several times, hard enough to send him flying over a nearby obelisk and she pulled out one of the two stakes in her pocket to kill the vampire. As she nears the seemingly unconscious vampire, he suddenly sprung up off of the ground and sent her flying over a tombstone with a single back-handed punch. Buffy scrambled to pick up the stake that she dropped as she flew through the air. As the vampire approaches, Buffy stood and advanced to stake him, when the vampire grabbed her wrist, twisted her hand around, and staked Buffy through the right side of her stomach.

Buffy inhaled sharply as the stake punched through her skin and embedded itself in her abdomen, thanks largely in part to a very lucky and strong vampire. Her hands flew to her wound and she brought up one of her hands to see the damage, only to find that the palm of her hand was totally covered in bright crimson blood. She kept one hand on her wound as she reached for the second stake in her pocket and plunged it into the vampire that was attempting to sneak up on her for a second time.

With the vampire dusted, Buffy gingerly unwrapped the scarf around her neck and wrapped it around the stake in her stomach and then around her waist, securing it with a sloppy one-handed knot. She decided to leave the stake in so that she could make it home without too much bleeding. Buffy slowly began to walk out of the cemetery, each step sending waves of pain up her side. She reached a mausoleum and leaned against it to try to get some relief as she began to feel quite unsteady. In a few seconds, the world started to become cloudy and before she knew it, Buffy's world turned black and she passed out. Fortunately for Buffy, when she passed out, she did not fall forward, driving the stake in even further, but backward, hitting the side of her head on the side of the mausoleum on her way down.

_Meanwhile on the other side of town…_

"It's 5 am. She left 5 hours ago." Faith was pacing back and forth, occasionally glancing at the clock in her new apartment, well actually, her and Buffy's new apartment. Faith began to grow very concerned as she always is when Buffy is out.

Faith sighed and mumbled, "She shouldn't be gone this long. I should go find her." Faith walked over to the closet and pulled out her lucky jacket, a well-worn brown leather one. She stuffed a stake and a bottle of holy water from the weapons chest into her pockets, grabbed her keys, and left the apartment. Faith ran over the cemetery that she knows Buffy usually patrols in and walked in slowly and quietly. The sun was just beginning to rise and its beautiful, colorful rays were illuminating the entire cemetery, but nonetheless, Faith was prepared for some cocky vampire, who was willing to do anything to kill a slayer.

Faith decided to do a 360° and began to sweep the cemetery with her eyes. She turned about half way around when she noticed a pair of familiar-looking shoes sticking out from behind a mausoleum. Faith ran over to the pair of shoes and yelled "Buffy!" as she neared the feet. Her cry was answered with a small sound that sounded like a mix between a groan and a whimper and would have been impossible to hear had it not been for her slayer hearing. She dropped down to her knees when reached Buffy's unconscious form, partially out of concern and partially out of the shock to see the state that Buffy is in. Buffy not only had a stake in her stomach, but she also had cuts on her cheek and forehead, a swollen eye, and a bruise on her jaw.

Faith reached over to touch Buffy's face and her eyes opened just a little, enough for Faith to see them moving slightly. Buffy's eyes quickly found Faith's and she said "Faith…" in a very pained and quiet voice.

Faith's eyes filled with tears and she said, "Buffy, I'm here." Buffy looked into Faith's eyes for a moment and they closed as Buffy once again drifted into the darkness. Scared, Faith shakily reached over to check Buffy's pulse, worried about what she would find, or rather not find. She sighed with relief when she finds a pulse, albeit a weak one. Faith put Buffy's head in the crook of her elbow and said, "I'm going to get you out of here."

Faith gently picked up the battered and bruised blonde and ran to UC Sunnydale to take her to Willow's dorm room, which was on the same side of town as they were. She ran into Willow's building and pounded on the door.

"_It's five a.m. Go away," _said a sleepy voice from the other side.

"Willow, please. It's me, Faith. Open the door."

"_Faith, what are you… _doing here?" Willow asked, sleepily, as she opens the door. She took one look at Faith's worried and horrified face and Willow knew that something had happened to Buffy, a thought which she did not wish to entertain. Her eyes trailed down to see Buffy's limp form in Faith's arms and her fears were confirmed. "What happened?" Willow asked as she opened the door wider.

"A vampire attacked her during her patrol. She's hurt real bad." Willow gestured to the big double bed in the middle of her room. Faith gingerly lowered Buffy onto the bed and looked at Willow with huge tear-filled eyes. The door into the bathroom opened and out stepped Tara, who was fully dressed, unlike Willow, despite the early hour.

"Tara, get the first aid supplies and a bowl of warm water. Oh, and a couple of washcloth," Willow asked Tara. Tara obliged and brought Willow what she asked for without knowing why. She neared the bed and gasped as she looked at Faith's tear-streaked face and Buffy's battered body, stake included.

"What happened?" Tara asked.

"Vampire," answered Faith, barely.

Faith sits on the bed gripping Buffy's hand between both of hers. Willow took the bowl of water from Tara's hands and placed it on the bedside table next to herself. She took a washcloth and dipped it in the bowl, while looking at Buffy's face, trying to decide where to start. She wrung out the cloth and moved to clean the cuts on the blonde's forehead. Willow carefully wiped away all the blood from Buffy's forehead and took the rusty-colored water away to change it. As Willow refilled the bowl, Tara gently dried Buffy's forehead with a towel and looked at Faith with sympathy in her eyes. "Faith, are you alright?" Tara asked quietly, afraid of Faith's response.

Faith swallowed and nodded, not trusting her voice. She smiled at Tara and then looked back at Buffy, who was still unconscious and breathing shallowly. Willow returned and turned to Tara, "You should clean her cheek and I'm going to take a look at the stake." Tara took the bowl of clean water and grabbed another washcloth to begin cleaning the deep gash on Buffy's cheek. The gash on her forehead was not very deep, but still bled a lot, as all forehead wounds do. The gash on her cheek, however, was deep enough that it covered the left side of her face with a thick coat of blood and even getting on her neck and sweater.

Willow furrowed her eyebrows as she looked at Buffy's stomach. She looked around for a pair of scissors and found a pair conveniently under her bed. She reached over and untied the scarf around Buffy's waist, trying to disturb the stake a little as possible.

Willow gingerly unwound the scarf from around the stake and pulled it out from underneath Buffy's battered body. Willow cut a slit up Buffy's sweater from the bottom up to where the stake entered and rolled it up a little, so she could get a full view of the wound. As Faith laid her eyes on the wound, she paled and ran to the bathroom, slamming the door behind her. Tara and Willow looked at each other as they heard Faith get sick and Willow stood to check on Faith. She walked into the bathroom to find Faith still dry heaving over the bowl and Willow gave Faith some mouthwash to clean out her mouth, which she gratefully accepted. "Are you alright?" Willow asked as Faith stood up unsteadily. Faith nodded and walked out of the bathroom to resume her vigil by her girlfriend's bedside.

She looked at Tara and then at Faith nervously. "I'm going to pull it out now," she said her voice shaking slightly. Willow got on her knees and examined the stake to figure out where it would be best to hold the stake as she pulled it out. Faith nodded and held Buffy's hand tighter as Willow got a firm grasp on the stake. "Tara, maybe you should hold down Buffy's shoulders, in case she wakes up." Tara walked over from the sink in the bathroom, knelt down, and put her hands on Buffy's shoulders.

Willow slowly pulled the stake out and Buffy's body arched slightly as it came out. When Willow removed the stake completely, Buffy moaned quietly and Faith looked over at her face, hoping that Buffy has regained consciousness. However, Buffy was still out cold. As Willow searched for her gauze pad collection, Tara cleaned off the blood below Buffy's stab wound. Willow returned to the three women with a box of gauze pads in her hands and knelt down.

Willow picked up a large piece of gauze and placed it over the wound. After being satisfied with the coverage that it provided, Willow affixed with some medical tape and took a gauze bandage to wrap around the pad. "Faith, I'm going to need your help here."

Eager to finally be able to help her girlfriend, Faith asked, "What do you need?"

"I need you sit Buffy up a little so I can wrap the bandage around her stomach." Faith nodded and lifted Buffy's shoulders up a little, with some help from Tara, careful to make sure not to agitate the wound. Willow put some medical tape on the bandage and stood. "We should get her some clean clothes. Hers are all bloody. I think we still have some of her stuff here from before she moved in with you." Faith nodded in agreement and watched as Tara and Willow scrabbled to find Buffy's old stuff. "Found some," Willow declared as she help up a t-shirt and sweatpants.

"Ok, let's change her. You guys are gonna have to help me out… Unless you're uncomfortable with that, of course," Faith said. After not getting a response, Faith stood and began to remove Buffy's shoes and socks. Willow and Tara both walked over and picked up Buffy, so Faith could change her pants. Faith gently yanked down Buffy's bloody jeans and helped her into the sweatpants Willow found. The three of them then sat Buffy back down and changed her top. After they laid Buffy on the bed, Faith covered with a throw blanket that she found on Willow's chair. "Now, we just have to wait for her to wake up… if she wakes up," Faith said sadly.

"Oh, Faith. Don't worry she will," Tara said, trying to comfort Faith.

"But, it's been 45 minutes since I brought her here and God only knows how long she was out before that."

"Sweetie, she'll be okay. She's Buffy, even the Master couldn't stop her," Willow replied, pulling Faith into a hug as she burst into tears. "She will be just fine, don't worry. Buffy will wake up and she will heal up good as new." Faith continued to cry, but was slowly calming down and after about five minutes, Faith was calm enough to pull herself off Willow.

"By the way, why do you have every first said thing known to man in here?" Faith asked as she wiped her nose with the back of her hand.

"Well, when you're dealing with a Hellmouth, you never know what to expect," Willow said with a slight smile. Willow suddenly looked down at herself and realized that she was still in her pajamas. "I should go and change," Willow said as she grabbed some stuff from her dresser and went into the bathroom. After Willow came back out, the three women each sat down in different parts of the room to keep vigil. Faith laid down next to Buffy and held her in her arms, Willow sat in her desk chair and Tara settled in a chair in the corner near a window.

About 20 minutes later as the clock changed to say 6:15 am, Buffy once again began to moan, this time a little louder. Faith immediately sat up and put her hand on Buffy's uninjured right cheek. "Buffy, sweetie. Can you hear me?"

"Faith," Buffy said as she turned her head and opened her eyes to look at Faith for the second time that morning.

"Buffy," Faith laughed out as she again began to cry again. Willow and Tara jumped up to stand on the left side of the bed to be closer to Buffy as she came to.

"What happened?" Buffy croaked.

"A vampire. Nothing to worry about now." Buffy nodded and turned her head again.

"Where am I? Willow? Tara?" Buffy tried to sit up, but Faith pushed her shoulders back down.

"Uh, uh. You are not going anywhere, missy. You just got staked, by your own stake." Faith gently brushed Buffy's hair out of her face and said, "Do you want to go home?" Buffy nodded and smiled. "Okay," said Faith as she stood up off of the bed. "Just let me get your shoes on for you."

"I can do myself," Buffy protested as she pushed the throw blanket off herself and sat up with a wince. She tried to bend down to get her shoes, but as she got halfway, she clutched her wound and wince. She slowly sat up with a groan and looked at Faith.

"Told ya. Knew ya couldn't do it." Faith got on her knees and pulled on Buffy's socks and shoes. Buffy stood up with Tara and Willow's help and put left her arm around Faith's neck. In response, Faith put her right arm around Buffy's waist, careful to avoid the wound. "Thank you guys for your help… and for keeping me from falling apart," Faith thanked Tara and Willow sincerely. With those words, Buffy and Faith slowly walked out the door and outside.

Once they got outside, Faith turned to Buffy and said, "I, uh, don't have my car here. I sorta ran you over here in my arms from the cemetery and…"

"We're on the other side of town," they said in unison.

"Well, how about this? I'll just pick you up and run you home." Buffy nodded and giggled as Faith picked her up bridal style and ran home with her Slayer speed. They reached the apartment building in about 20 minutes and Faith put Buffy down so she could unlock the door. The pair walked in the building very slowly and they eventually got to the door of their place. Faith unlocked the door and guided Buffy to the bedroom, where Buffy laid down. Faith rushed over to prop Buffy up with some pillows that she pulled out of the linen closet in the hall. Buffy smiled and patted the bed next to her. Faith gladly sat down next to Buffy and threw a blanket over their laps. "I'm so glad you're okay," Faith said as she draped her arm over Buffy's shoulders.

"So am I," Buffy said as she cuddled up to Faith and rested her head on Faith's shoulder. Faith hugged Buffy with her other arm and put her cheek on the top of Buffy's head as turned on the TV. "I love you, Faith," said Buffy sleepily.

"I love you, too, Buffy."

* * *

I also wrote another version of this story where Faith did not go to Willow and Tara, but to her and Buffy's apartment. If you guys want it, let me know I'll post it. Also, if you want, I'll try to write some more stuff like this or even a sequel to this scene.


End file.
